


Little Bird

by batfran



Series: Feels Like Home [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:54:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23983390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batfran/pseuds/batfran
Summary: This reads like your average fanfiction, but for me it’s much more than that. It came to me during a time that I felt very trapped, and so overwhelmed with my work life that I quite literally wanted to die. I needed someone to talk to, and felt incredibly alone and misunderstood so I turned to myself for comfort in the form of this story. I hope you enjoy it!
Relationships: Jason Todd/Author
Series: Feels Like Home [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729312
Kudos: 1





	Little Bird

I walk in the house, and immediately lock myself in my bedroom. To say life has been getting to me would be an understatement. I strip out of my work clothes, and throw on an oversized Red Hood t-shirt. It’s recently become a favourite of mine.

I try my best to decompress from the day, but I’m having a tough time. I hear a low knock on my door, and it suddenly hits me that I’ve been sitting on my bed doing nothing for the last hour. I’ve been so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice time getting away from me.

I say “come in”, and the door opens to reveal Jason with Panda Express. I look at him with a puzzled expression. 

“I take it you had a bad day. Meaning you probably haven’t eaten either.”

He makes his way over to my bed, and plops down across from me making sure to give me space in case I don’t want him too close. At times like this I’m thankful for my queen-sized haven from the world, and it’s sorrows. There’s plenty of room for the both of us.

I give him a small smile.

“You’re right, I haven’t eaten. At least not since this morning...”. 

I open my to-go container, and see that he got my favourite. Chow-mein, and double teriyaki chicken. He even remembered the two spring rolls, and chopsticks.

“And I had a bad day.” I add, not looking up from the food in front of me.

We don’t say anything for a bit, both of us eating in the comfortable silence. Before too long, Jason decides to change that.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asks in a firm yet gentle tone. He’s learned to navigate my moods well, and I don’t tell him nearly enough how grateful I am for him.  
I swallow what’s in my mouth, and look down at my plate.

“Yes and no. I feel like talking about things when I’m angry puts negativity into the universe, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

It’s an idea I thought of the other day, and I haven’t had enough time to fully process my emotions on the subject.

He nods in understanding. 

“But you want to, because not putting it into the universe means you’re keeping it bottled up to fester. That’s going to end up hurting you here”, he says as he places a pointed finger to my forehead.  
“and here”, he finishes his statement as he moves said finger to my chest. 

I suffer mentally, and emotionally every day. It’s not like it’ll be anything new, but I can’t deny that he is right. I do need to talk about it. 

I sigh, and move my food to the side. I look up to see the caring expression on his face as he opens his arms, and for just a moment, I feel like crying.

I push the feeling away, and climb into his lap, laying my head on his broad chest. I can feel his strong heartbeat thumping against my cheek. 

Even though I haven’t gotten out what’s bothering me, I already feel a tad bit better. 

“Thank you, Jason.” I say as I snuggle my face into his chest, and feel his arms squeeze me further into his embrace. I inhale his scent, and can’t help but think ‘this feels a lot like coming home’. You know, if home were a person.

We sit like this for a moment. Simply enjoying the feeling of the other’s company. But that damn Jason. He doesn’t know how to leave things be.

“I’ve been there, Fran. Hell, some days it feels like I never leave ‘there’. I want to help you, help yourself get better. I can’t fix it for you, but I can be here for you while you get it together, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

He gives me another squeeze at the end, and that’s all it takes to open the flood gates. I had been trying so hard to keep my emotions in check, but that’s out the window now.

Tears fill my eyes, and pour onto his shirt before I can will them away a second time.

“Hey, sometimes a good cry is all you need. Let it out, and if you still need to talk after, you can let that out too.” He rubs my back as I continue to cry into his chest, unable to stop until I’ve cried all I can cry for the time being.

Life is just so much. Too much really. I’m not sure why humanity let us get to the point that we are at. Working ourselves until our literal deaths. All the while neglecting all of the emotional, and mental baggage that living makes us accumulate. It’s insanity.

Life feels very overrated a lot of the time, but moments like this with people that you love, and who also love you in return.. I suppose they make it worth it. 

“I’m tired of being the best at everything I do.” I say randomly after the tears have stopped, and I’m calm again. Jason lets out a laugh, and leans back to look at my tear streaked, red-eyed face.  
“Well aren’t you full of yourself today. I like it.”

I roll my eyes at him. He’s so used to me talking down on myself, I’m sure he honestly did enjoy that remark.

“No, but I see how much better I am at my job than others. I’d be a fool to not acknowledge it.” I shift in his lap so that my back is against his torso. 

“Is it too much to simply want a team of people who do the job as well as I do? I mean, it really isn’t that difficult of a job. Mentally, and physically trying? Yes, but not rocket science.” 

I close my eyes, and lean my head back against his left shoulder. My frustration is starting to bubble up again, but I try my best to keep it at bay. Taking it out on him is the last thing I want to do.

He absentmindedly twirls one of my golden curls around his finger, contemplating an answer. His other hand lightly traces the tattoos on my right forearm.

“It’s not a difficult request, but ya gotta take into consideration that not everyone is like you, Little Bird. You’re one of a kind.”

I can hear the pride, and admiration in his tone. It makes my heart feel fuzzy, and I know he means well, but that’s not the response I want.

“Well, yeah, but I’m not the last human on earth with a strong work ethic, and common sense. Where the hell are those people, and how do I get them to apply at my job?”

I can feel him watching me as I stand up, and put our food containers on my dresser. My appetite is gone now. It’s been replaced by annoyance, and more frustration than I know how to handle.

“Maybe you need a change of scenery.” Jason offers.  
I think about it, and nod my head. My back is turned to him so he can’t see my face.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. I’m just not sure what else I’d rather spend my time doing. At least nothing I can think of that will pay as well.” 

Money is always the issue. More money, more problems. The truth in that phrase slapped me in the face hard this year. 

“Rob a bank with me.”

That sentence out of Jason’s mouth successfully interrupted any stressful thought I could possibly be overthinking. I snap my head to look at him only to see his radiant smile, and a sparkle of mischief in his eye. 

“Jason. No. Bruce would have a cow.” I shake my head at him, but can’t help the small smile playing on my lips.

“Then Batcow will have a friend. Bat brat will be over the moon!” He crosses his arms triumphantly as if he figured out the solution to all of our problems.

I laugh at the mental image his comment gave me. Damian absolutely ecstatic with his two cows, and Bruce eye twitching in annoyance at their presence in his batcave. He didn’t even want the first one.

“Still no. The last thing I need is an angry bat in my life.” I let out another giggle as I walk back over to Jason, and take his face in my hands. 

“I really appreciate you, babe. You do know that, right?”

He places a hand over one of mine, and flashes me those pearly whites that still give me butterflies.

“So I’ve been told.” He uses one of my go to phrases back on me, and winks at me as he does it. He’s such a fucker.  
I place an affectionate kiss to his forehead, and hug him to my chest. 

“I don’t know what I would do without you, Jason Peter Todd. I just might go off the deep end, and land myself in Arkham Asylum”. 

I feel his arms wrap securely around my midsection as he sighs loudly against my chest.

“I would break you out, babe. Then we’d both have an angry bat after us.”

I laugh, and he pulls his head back just enough to look at the red bat symbol on my shirt. He raises a brow, and looks up at me. His brilliant green-tinted blue eyes twinkling with emotions he doesn’t need to voice.

“Red Hood, huh? You’ve been wearing this one a lot.”

I grin from ear to ear, but play it off by shrugging nonchalantly.

“What can I say? He’s my hero.” 

He stands up, and picks me up so that my legs are wrapped around his waist as he presses me against my door. My arms snake around the back of his neck, and my fingers tangle in his hair as our lips come dangerously close to contact with one another.

“Ya know, Little Bird, I think he just might feel the same about you.”


End file.
